Aisha McClellan, Project Manager of Urology Department and Cancer Outcomes Research Program at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“I had a conversation with a fellow advocate that stuck with me.
There can be a quiet sense of competition in this space and I don’t think we talk about that enough.
- Who’s heard?
- Whose story carries more weight?
- Which organizations get the attention?
Speaking as a cervical cancer survivor and someone doing this work, that’s never been my goal.
I don’t need to be THE advocate
I just want to be part of the conversation
There should be space for many voices, advocates, and organizations all working toward the same thing.
I also think patient advocacy as a whole deserves more respect.
This work comes from lived experience. And the truth is, no degree can teach you what it’s like to navigate this firsthand.
That’s something we carry. And it deserves to be respected.
There’s room for everyone in this space, but it has to come with real respect for the work and what people bring to it.
We’re better when we support each other.”
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